The 1908 Disaster
by KaitlinMitchellMontieth
Summary: Rosalie Whitmore is a young girl in victorian England, forced to marry a man she does not love, and in love with her betrothed's brother. who will she choose the love of her life, or the man shes forced to be married to.
1. Prolouge

Prologue

November 3rd, 1908

I stood there waiting for the doors to my domination to open. My

Fiancée's father stood beside me, with a smile on his face. My best friend

Jennifer stood behind me, fiddling with my veil. I reached behind my head and pulled out the pin that held up my long curly brown hair.

Jennifer touched my arms soothingly, knowing that I was about to marry

Man that I did not love. On the other side of the doors, the band started

Strumming Cannon in D, the doors opened. Instead of my eyes moving

Towards the groom, as they should have, they moved towards the man that stood beside him. Theodore Wallace, a tall muscular man, with sandy blond hair and a sour expression, Theo was the one I was in love with, the one that wanted to marry. Henry the man, who stood in the grooms spot, was standing there with no expression on his face what so ever, his chocolate eyes wandered around the room. I looked over at Theo again, his blue eyes were gleaming, and I could tell he wished he was the one who was marrying me.

I tightened my grip on the red roses that were getting smothered in my hands, while I watched Henry shift his weight from one foot to the other, there were a few loud sobs coming from the guests as I walked down the aisle. Tears accumulated in my eyes, they were tears of sorrow, I closed my eyes as my soon to be husband took my hand in his. 


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

July 8th, 1908

The sun's glare came through the small box window of the carriage and into my eyes, I squinted and turned the other way, looking out onto Main Street, where people spent most of their time, either drinking or shopping. Sleeping on the seat in front of me was my father; his snore's vibrating the carriage. I sighed and sat back closing my eyes, falling into a dreamless sleep.

We arrived at Nine Hundred and ninety nine Angel Street, five minutes before seven, I got out of the carriage and took in the beautiful gables and yellow of the house that I now had to call home, behind me my father coughed, ever since we had left England his health had been failing. I looked back at him, his pale face revelling a smile that warmed my heart, the two of us walked up to the house slowly, I helped my father up the steps. Just as we neared the top steps the doors opened, and a woman came out screaming, I looked at her as she ran up to my father and trapped him in a bear hug. I smiled at the woman and drew my attention up to the front door; there stood a young girl, who looked to be my age. Her long blonde hair fell across her shoulders; she had her hands folded over her stomach, I smiled up at her, and I received a warm smile from her. She slowly walked down the steps towards me.  
"Hello" she said with a soothing voice.  
I smiled back at her, "Hello, I'm Rosalie" I told her.  
"Jennifer Marlow" she said, holding out her hand. I shook it, and the woman beside me sighed.  
"Well it's a beautiful thing when two new sisters get acquainted" she said.  
I did a double take and smiled at her.  
"Why don't we get inside" my father urged.  
Jennifer took my arm and led me to the door; inside I could smell freshly baked bread, and the smell of firewood.  
I looked around the parlour; bookshelves lined one side of the room while the other was practically consumed by paintings and portraits.  
"Well how do you like our humble abode?" Jennifer asked me shyly.  
I turned to her and smiled, "I think it has a lot of character" I told her.  
She nodded, and looked back at my father and her mother...well now our mother.

I looked into the doorway that lead into the dining room, there was a tall muscular looking man in the door way, he had deep brown hair and deep set brown eyes, he looked at me with a stern expression on his face. Jennifer leaned her head close. "That's Henry Wallace, he's going to the university close to here for a doctor's degree" she told me.  
I nodded, "He has very nice eyes" I noted.  
She laughed quietly, "Don't let them fool you, he is not very nice" she told me.  
I nodded, looking away at the fireplace that made me remember my old home. Jennifer tugged on my arm; I looked towards her, and had no choice to fallow her upstairs.  
"I am going to show you your room, since my mother is too love struck to say anything?" she said, smiling. I smiled and looked away, underneath it still hurt although my mother had died nearly a year ago.

Jennifer led me into a generously sized room, which had red wallpaper and red bedding. My jaw dropped when I walked in, I loved the colour, the way the bed was set up and everything about it. Jennifer giggled at my face, I blushed and ran over to her and hugged her.  
"Your father said that you liked the colour red, so I took the liberty of decorating the room for you" she told me.  
"I love it thank you kindly" I told her, as I swallowed down tears.  
Jennifer smiled and looked around, "Well I shall leave you to your thoughts and new room" she said, leaving me.

The first thing I did was walk over to the small desk that resided opposite my bed. There was a window that was on the west side of my room, it went from ceiling from floor, and almost consumed the wall entirely. The bedding was plush and big, the pillows came out to almost halfway to the bed, and I sighed and sat on the chair in the corner of my room.

Just then there was a knock on my door, I rose up and answered the big and creaky door. I looked around the mahogany door, on the other side, the tall boy whose name I had forgotten stood. He held a pile of sheets in his hands, holding them out towards me.  
"Mrs. Marlow wanted me to give you these" he told me.  
I looked him in the eye, "May I ask you a question?" I asked, taking the sheets from him.  
He nodded.  
"If you are in the university, why are you here, I mean, you must have some money if you're at a university" I said.  
The boy laughed, and stepped into the light, "I think you're confusing me with my brother" he said.  
My hand flew to my mouth and I laughed along with him.  
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" I said between giggles.  
"Yes, although my brother is far more rich then I am, I prefer to work in homes" he told me.  
"And your brother would like to stay as far away from home as possible, I presume" I said.  
There was an awkward silence between the two of us for a moment, as we studied one another.  
"Well best be getting back to work" he said, backing away and starting down the hall.

I walked out into the odd smelling corridor and saw Jennifer walking my way; I ran in my room and put the sheets in my armoire. Before meeting Jennifer at my door, she had a blush to her cheeks and a book in her hand.  
She turned towards me and smiled for the hundredth time this evening, "I found this book on the bookshelf and thought of you" she told me, I took the book she held out to me, and looked at the title.  
"Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, it's a very thrilling story indeed" I said turning the book over.  
"Oh so you've read it" she said, disappointment ringing in her voice.  
"No! No I haven't, I have only seen the play" I told her taking her hand in mine.  
She sighed, "Good, the book is so much more entertaining than the play I find" she confessed.  
I nodded, not really agreeing but not saying anything.

Later that night I sat in my candle lit room brushed my hair in front of my vanity. I ran my brush through my long brown hair, each and every strand bouncing back into its curl when the brush left its grip. Then I looked in the mirror towards the doorway, there was a boy standing in my room! I turned around swiftly, the boy realised that I had caught him.  
"Sorry! I didn't mean to stare it's just your door was open a crack and I thought well maybe she is up, and I came in and saw you brushing your hair" he told me in a mouthful.  
I stared him, realising it was the house boy that had given me the sheets for my bed. "It's all-right, we all make mistakes, just knock next time" I told him going back to brushing my hair, "Did you have anything for me?" I asked him.  
"Oh! The misses wanted me to give you a tea, although I think it may be cold now" he said, looking down at it.  
"Well why don't you tell me if it's cold or not "I asked him, "Go ahead, sip it and tell me" I urged him, while getting my housecoat on the chair beside me.  
He looked at the tea and debated it, before taking a sip. "It's still warm!" he said.  
I nodded walking over to him and taking the tea from him.  
"Thank you...oh what is your name?"  
"Its Theodore, but call me Theo" he told me.  
I smiled at him. "Well thank you Theo" I said, rushing him out the door, "It's time for me to retire now" I said, closing the door.

I ran into my bed and sipped my tea, I thought about the day. My father and re-married a woman I had never met, I thought back to when I arrived into the house, the way that Henry had looked at me, I realised there was something in his eyes that I didn't like. Although his brother was a sweet as sweetbread, and his eyes were a light green not dark like his brothers, _how could two brothers be so completely different?_ I wondered.

The next morning I woke up to the sound of birds chirping, and the smell of breakfast cooking, I got up and got dressed, and headed down stairs. Where to my surprise, no one was up, I walked into the kitchen, the scullery maids and cooks were up and about, cooking things in a hurry. I stood in the doorway and watched them all.  
I cleared my throat. "Don't be rushing" I told them, "Everyone is still asleep" I said.  
The cook looked at me, "Miss. Jennifer is up, she's in the garden" she told me. I smiled and walked into the garden, she was drawing on the grass, while Theo picked weeds while talking to his brother. I walked over to Jennifer quietly, and trying to dissever what Theo and Henry were talking about.  
"Good Morning" I said, while sitting down in front of her.  
Jennifer looked up and smiled, "Good morning Rosalie, how did you sleep? Well I hope" she asked.  
I nodded, "Quite well indeed, although I had the oddest dream" I told her, taking a grape from the bowl and pooping it my mouth.  
"Oh...what about?" she asked me, while looking back up at the tree she was drawing.  
I ran my hand through my hair, "I was married to Theodore" I told her.  
She looked up at me, "Oh really, and was it a beautiful wedding?" she asked, teasingly.  
"Yes, but the both of us were miserable, or we were angry" I told her.  
Jennifer frowned, "Too bad" she said, finishing her picture, and closing her book.

I looked around at the beautifully well kept garden, there was a patch of roses that stood gracefully in the middle of the lawn, right then I felt someone watching me, I turned my head and looked out of my peripheral vision and say Henry looking at me, his eyes studying every inch of me, I felt very violated. I turned back and saw Jennifer laying down on the blanket and reading,  
"Jennifer?" I asked her.  
She turned towards me,  
"How would you describe Henry's stare?" I asked her, knowing that his eyes were still on me.  
"Well, if you watch his face he is expressionless, therefore I guess he is studying you, in other cases for example his eyes...well he...it is quite disturbing" she told me.  
I shut my eyes braced myself for an answer that did not come.  
"Well?" I asked her opening on eye.  
"He is most likely imagining you and him...together" she said, her voice cracking when she spoke "_together"_.  
I sighed and shifted my weight and turned my head to look at the two of them. Henry averted his gaze to his brother, Theo looked as if he was yelling at his brother, and Henry was laughing. I rolled my eyes and turned around to Jennifer who was laughing herself.  
I gave her a look of not understanding.  
"They" _laugh,_ "They..."_ laugh. _"Are fighting about you!" she finally said, before falling over in a bout of laughter.  
I popped another grape into my mouth before getting up and walking into the house.

Inside my father and his new wife were just walking into the parlour, as I came into the house.  
"Ah, good morning Rosalie!" his wife screeched, leaving my father's side to come and trap me in a hug. I hugged her back, just to be polite.  
"How do you like the new surroundings?" she asked me, pulling away.  
I smiled the most sincere smile I had. Although it wasn't my home, and I had nothing from my former life, other than a few photographs and seven dresses and my father I had nothing. "I love it" I lied. "Especially the garden" Now that wasn't completely a lie, I did love the garden, even if I may hate the one male in it. My father looked at me solemnly, he could tell I didn't agree with this place and that I wanted our old home.  
"Shauna Darling, why don't we have some breakfast?" my father asked his wife, taking her arm and placing it in his.  
"I'll go get Jennifer" I told them.  
"Oh! And Rosalie would you be so kind as to ask Henry and Theodore if they would like something to eat as well?" she asked,  
I nodded, walking out on to the smooth grass.  
"Jennifer?" I asked her while walking towards her. "Would you like some breakfast?"  
She nodded eagerly before getting up.  
"Breakfast boys!" Jennifer asked them.  
The two of them looked at one another before racing one another towards the door; Jennifer laughed and tugged me along towards the table.

I sat beside Henry, while Jennifer sat beside Theo. Breakfast was quiet for a few minutes before my father started conversation, making Shana to ask me the most terrifying question of my life.  
"Rosalie, how do you like my nephew Henry?" she asked me, before taking a bit of polish sausage.  
I stopped mid drink; I put my glass of water down before answering.  
"We have not yet had an opportunity to introduce ourselves" I told her, my voice surprising me at how proper it was.  
"Yes aunt, I was hoping to steal her away before breakfast, but Ms. Jennifer held her firmly in her grasp" he said, stealing a glance at Jennifer.  
"Jenny!" Shauna said astonished, "I am thoroughly appalled" she confessed.  
I tried to hide the smirk that was trying to creep its way to my face, beside me Henry choked on his piece of toast.  
I turned to him.  
"Henry! Why did you take such a big bite of your toast you know better?" Shauna said.  
I rubbed my hand on his back, after reading somewhere that it helped the person who had choked digest the food they had ingested.  
There was a silence for a few minutes before Shauna asked Henry a question. "Henry my dear would you mind going with Rosalie and Jennifer out to get assessed for their ball gowns?" she asked him.  
"Yes aunt, but when would we need to go?" he asked her.  
"Sometime shortly afternoon" she said, while finishing off her glass of wine.  
Henry nodded.

It was Three o'clock when Shauna got the carriage assembled, which meant that if the appointment took as long as I thought it was going to take, we wouldn't get back before dinner.  
I kissed my father goodbye and got into the carriage with the assistance of Henry, Jennifer ended up on the other side of the box, while Henry ended up sitting beside me. I looked at her, my blue eyes pleading.  
The way her eyes looked said that she was sympathetic but could not do anything about it.  
"So, how do you two like being sisters?" Henry asked Jennifer and I, while looking out the small window to his right.  
"Well..." Jennifer started.  
"Well, Jennifer and I haven't been able to really talk and get to know one another" I told him, interrupting her.  
"See Jenny, you found out one thing or possibly two, Rosalie here likes to interrupt people, and be bossy" he said.  
My jaw dropped at his accusation, I turned towards him. Sadly my eyes locked right with his immensely deep brown eyes, quickly recoiling myself, I shut my mouth and turned away, making Henry start laughing.  
I glanced over at Jennifer, who was shaking her head and rolling her eyes.

When we arrived at the dressmaker's shop in the center of town, Henry got out and helped Jennifer, but proceeded to lift me to the ground by my hips, sadly not wanting to cause a ruckus I did not tell him what I wanted, to back off. Once inside, Jennifer started looking at fabric's most of the ones she liked were blue.  
"That one is very beautiful" Henry told Jennifer with a smile,  
"It is yes, but I do not think it is my colour" she said.  
Henry took the piece of fabric and held it against her face and studied it and her for a minute.  
"No, it is definitely your colour" he told her with a grin spreading on his face, from ear to ear.  
I walked over to the table, cascaded in fabrics of practically every colour and shade; I was drawn to the red at once, and picked a few pieces of fabric for my dress.  
"Red...that is a very lovely colour" Henry said, coming up behind me, stopping just a little too close for comfort, I could feel his breath on the back of my neck, making my heart quicken and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.  
I nodded gulping, "Indeed it is" I said, trying to get away from him, but not being able to.  
"I like..." he said, leaning over me, making my body move with him. "This one" he held up the dark blood red fabric in front of my face.  
I nodded, taking it from his hands, "But it is too dark" I said, just about to lay it on the table.  
Henry caught my hand, "It would look immaculate on you, don't you think so Gregory?" he said, turning towards a tall boy in trousers and an undershirt with a blazer over top.  
Gregory nodded, going back to work.  
"Please cousin, get it for me?" he asked pleadingly, and almost seductively, his mouth was close to my ear, when he had spoken I had gotten goose bumps.  
Just then he left, and I was free to breath, saw my reflection in one of the mirrors, I held up the fabric to my pale face.  
"Blast it!" I cursed under my breath, Henry was right; it did look amazing on my skin.

Jennifer came out of the fitting area, with her purse in hand.  
"Well how did it go?" I asked her, feeling my nerves creep up into my stomach.  
"It went well, my dresses will be ready by Thursday" she told me with a smile on her face.  
I nodded. A petite woman came around the corner and fiddled with the ruffles on her dress, "You must be Rosalie Halo" she spoke the words as if she were singing.  
I nodded,  
"What fabrics do you have for me today?" she asked me.  
I held out the five fabrics towards her. "All red?" she asked me, her voice curious.  
I nodded.  
The woman shrugged and I fallowed her to an open space in the corner of the fitting area.  
"Now do you know your measurements?" she asked me.  
"No" I told her, "My mother never told me what they were" I said, trying not to cry.  
"Well could we send Mr. Wallace to go get her?" the woman asked,  
"No, my mother passed not nine months ago" I told her.  
The woman sat down, "I am very sorry to hear that, all my condolences to you and your family" she said.  
The woman walked around me on the pedestal, "Well we'll just have to measure you" she said, taking out her measuring tape and started measuring me.  
"Presumably how long would that take?" I asked her.  
"Oh only a few minutes" she told me, "And then we have to discuss the look of the dress you want" she told me.  
I nodded realising that it was going to be a very long evening.

When we were done everything, I came out to the waiting area, Henry was lying on the couch with his head thrown back, and it looked as if he were sleeping.  
"Where is Jennifer?" I asked him.  
His head rose, like a cobra's, "She went home" he stated.  
"What why?" I asked him.  
"She was hungry and tired" he told me. I nodded and paid the woman.  
"How are we going to get to Shauna's?" I asked him.  
"Well" he paused, taking my hand, "I told them that I'd bring you home, so I asked them if I could take one horse, they'd be perfectly fine with three" he said.  
I nodded, not really liking the idea of having to ride a horse with Henry.  
Henry mounted the horse, making it look easy, he held out his hands to me I took them, realising that they were my only safe way back home.  
"See" he said hoisting me up" Riding a horse isn't that bad" he said. I nodded trying to get comfortable, realising that Henry was waiting.  
"Ready" I told him, and he started off in a gallop, making me have to hide my face in between his neck and shoulder blade, and hold onto his coat making him come closer to me then I wanted. I could hear Henry's heart beating quickly, I thought of my first night, when Theo ended up in my room, it was quite funny, the way his eyes studied me, they did not make me nervous, unlike his brothers gaze, which made me feel as If I had to put on more layers, then run and hide.

It started raining then; I put my hood up and pressed myself into Henry for shelter. The horse had become stubborn and started stopping, we were only a few minutes away from the house. Henry pulled the rains on the horse, making the horse buck us off; I went flying and ended up rolling down a hill.  
I could hear the soggy steps of Henry behind me, I tried to get up, and my body wouldn't let me. I sat up looking at my dress, its dark blue colour turning black from the wet. Then I realised that my ankle was bent in a way it shouldn't have been.  
"Rosalie!" Henry screamed as he skidded down the hill on his knees coming to a halt before me.  
"Are you alright?" he asked, analyzing me, worry and fear ran through his eyes and voice.  
I nodded, "My ankle, I cannot walk"  
"Rosalie, you must have hit something, your head it's bleeding" he told me, wiping some blood away from my forehead.  
"Here..." Henry mumbled while hoisting me up into his arms, I bit my lip and realised that too was bleeding.  
He carried me up the hill and towards home; I could feel my blood seeping out of my head, making me dizzy.  
"Don't you dare die on me" he said.  
I smiled a weak smile, and rested my head on his shoulder.

A few hours later I woke up in my bedroom, with a cloth wrapped around my head and my foot bandaged, Jennifer was sleeping beside m eon the bed while my father read the paper in a chair which was positioned in the corner of the room.  
"Rose?" I heard my voice and turned towards the door, Theo was standing there with flowers in his hands, and his hair was wet.  
I smiled, "Hello" my voice creaked when I spoke,  
Theo came walking towards me, and placed the flowers on my lap, before kissing my hand. "You gave us all a frightful scare" he told me, tears accumulating in his eyes. I squeezed his hand, "Thanks to your brother im still here" I told him.  
Theo stiffened, and stood strait. "Yes well, he has come down with a cold" he told me.  
"Is he alright?" I asked Theo,  
He nodded, smiling. "Stubborn as ever"  
"That hasn't changed" I remarked, making the both of his laugh.

I looked at Theo, his green eyes were amazing, and I felt as if I wanted to look into them all day.  
"Anyway, cook wanted me to tell you that if your needing anything then just ring the bell, and tell Mary what you want" he told me.  
I nodded not even knowing who Mary was.  
Just then my father put the paper down and came to my bed side.  
"Rosalie..." he said, smiling and embracing me. "How are you feeling today my little one?" he asked me.  
"I'm alright father" I told him.  
He nodded, and walked out of the room.

Ever since my father married Shauna Marlow, his attitude changed he avoided me, and stayed close to his wife, I was left to fend for myself, although I had Jennifer and Theo, they weren't my family.  
I got out of bed and walked to my window looking at the front yard of the house, I could see that it was raining immensely hard, and that most people were trying to avoid the wet. I sighed and turned around Jennifer was standing at the end of the bed looking out the window.  
"Hello Jennifer" I said.  
She smiled and walked out of the room.

I sighed and continued looking out the window.  
There was a knock on my door; It was Theo.  
"Theo"  
"Rosalie, I know I might seem a little forward but I'd like to know your feelings for my brother" he asked, walking towards me.  
I crossed my arms, "I think he has his nice moments, but other than that I think that he is arrogant, selfish and greedy" I told him truthfully.  
He sighed; I couldn't tell if it was of relief or of pain. "That makes me happy although it shouldn't" he said, walking over to the fireplace that resided in front of both my bed and desk.  
"Theo I can see why you are happy about, both you and I know how much you love you brother" I said sarcastically.  
Theo smiled, "Look, well... I overheard your parents talking" he said.  
"Shauna is not my parent, nor my mother, she is simply my father's wife not my mother" I told him sternly, and grabbing a small blanket off of my bed and wrapping it against my body.  
Theo nodded and pursed his lips, "Never the less, I hear your father and my aunt talking about your future" he told me.  
"What about it?" I asked him, walking closer.  
He opened his mouth as if to tell me and then stopped, he looked down and then back at me, through his sandy brown hair.  
"You may want to sit down Rose" 


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

I sat in the chair flabbergasted, I looked at Theo and then back at the ground.  
"They cannot be serious!" I said, hiding my face in my hands.  
"I'm sorry but that's what I heard" he said, walking over to my side and rubbing my back,  
"Why couldn't it be you, I don't want to marry Henry" I said, starting to cry.  
Theo picked me up, which surprised me, and placed me on his lap.  
"I know" he whispered into my ear.  
I looked up at him, 'Really?"  
He nodded, tears streaming out of his eyes. I had realised that I had feelings for Theo when I caught him staring at me while I brushed my hair.  
I took his head in my hands and kissed his forehead.  
"But I must go through with it...mustn't I?" I asked.  
He nodded, and rested his head on my chest, I ran my hand through his hair feeling its softness run through me like a bolt of lightning.  
I started crying, 'But it may not be official" I said.  
Theo looked up at me, "That is true" he said, wiping his eyes.  
I smiled at his eyes they're normal blue had turned green, an emerald green, that looked as if it was shining although my room was very dim.  
Theo looked at me, and moved closer to my face, I breathed him in, he smelt of candy and horses, I leaned my head on his shoulder.  
"Theo, why am I to may Henry?" I asked him.  
"I guess your father thinks that it would be a wise decision, he has money and he can support you and a family" he said.  
"But you make money"  
"I do but not nearly as much as my brother, he was the favoured brother, the one that always got the attention, that meant that when our mom and dad passed, he got more money, and the house" he told me.  
"That's tragic!" I said, looking up at his face.  
"It is but isn't, I love having the freedom that I do, I would hate to be rich and miserable" he said, "But I get to work for aunt, and she lets me live here free of charge, and I love it, living here and working for her" he said,  
I nodded, against his shoulder blade, and wrapped my arms around his thick neck.  
Theo looked down at me and I smiled up at him. He sat me up, I was directly in front of his face,  
"Well Rosalie, you aren't married yet" he said, sighing  
I gulped, "You...aren't going to doing anything to me are you?" I asked him.  
"No other then kiss you" he said, putting his lips against mine, the kiss was soft and sweet at first but advanced, before I stopped it.  
Theo looked at me, his eyes confused.  
I shook my head and got up from his lap. Theo stood, and looked at me, "I understand..." he said,  
I nodded, relieved that he understood what she meant.  
Theo walked over to her and hugged her, holding her for ten minutes.  
"I must go, it's almost nine thirty so I should leave you" Theo said, kissing my forehead and leaving.

It was five minutes before there was another knock on my door, I opened it and saw Henry standing there, his face was pale which made his dark eyes and hair pop out. He was holding onto the wall beside the door,  
"Henry" I said taking it arm and placing it over my shoulder, trying to support him.  
"Are you ok?" I asked him.  
"Are you?" he asked me.  
I nodded, "you're the one to talk, how long have you had a fever?" I asked him,  
He looked up at me, his brown eyes pleading, "Oh no you don't!" I said, grabbing the garbage pale beside my desk and putting it up to his mouth just as he vomited. As he cleaned his inside's out, I went and rang the bell, a dainty little girl who couldn't have been more then fourteen, came rushing in.  
"Yes ma'am?" she asked, turning to Henry.  
"Would you please go and fetch the doctor, Mr. Wallace needs one" I told her sternly.  
The girl nodded and ran down the hall; I turned back towards Henry who was slouching lower and lower in my chair.  
I shook my head, "Come on buddy" I said, hoisting him up as best I could, and placed him on the bed.  
He groaned and turned over on his side, I walked over to the pitcher that was on my bedside table and plopped the washcloth into it that had usually lied next to it. I drained the washcloth and dabbed it on Henry's forehead.

No matter how much I dabbed his forehead with the washcloth, it still didn't help.  
"Rosalie?" Jennifer asked.  
I looked up, my eyes blurry. "Jennifer help! I sent...the maid after a doctor, and I need help I think he is going to die" I said through my tears.  
"Calm down" Jennifer said, walking in the room, "I'll go and get some cold water, you have to take off his shirt so he can sweat it out" she told me.  
I nodded, ripping the buttoned shirt off of his chest, reviling an extremely sculpted body. I shook my head, and walked over to the window opening one of the squares and breathing in the fresh air.  
On the bed Henry groaned, I ran to his side, hoping he was alright.

"Is our patient still alive?" Asked a gravelly voice, I looked around to see the doctor walking in.  
"Yes" I told him.  
"I must examine him, if you would excuse me for at most fifteen minutes" the doctor said politely.  
I nodded walking into the hall, and closing the door behind me.  
"Rosalie?" It was my step mother.  
"Its Henry, he's...he's...he's really sick, and I'm afraid" I told her, starting to cry. _And I'm so...so confused_ I thought.  
Shauna embraced me, I hugged her back tightly.  
"He will be alright won't he?" I asked her.  
"I hope so" she muttered.  
I pulled out of our hug, "I know about the marriage" I told her.  
She looked at me, "you heard about your father and my plans for you?" she asked.  
I nodded,

"Your father thought that it would be best if you had a good husband to take care of you" she said.  
"I Know, but I would so rather prefer Theo, he is a Handsome and gentile man" I told her.  
She shrugged, "Your father, he wanted you to marry Henry, not I" she said.  
I nodded, knowing that my father's motives were good, but he did not know how I feel.  
"I can see that you love Theodore" Shauna said,  
"But, how?"  
"I can see it in your eyes"  
I nodded, "I am telling you this, and you mustn't tell my father, you must tell him only my feelings" I told Shauna.  
She nodded.  
"Theo told me...about the arrangement, and I know he is prepared to lose me so that I have a good life, although we have only known each other for a few hours" I paused, "he loves me and I agree to the marriage if I only my father knows that I will not be happy" I told her.  
Shauna nodded, "I will tell him your feelings"  
I nodded, I looked down the hall, Theo was there with a sympathetic smile on his face. That's when I knew that he knew what I had just done; he was ready to give me up to his brother just so that I would have a good life, even if I wasn't happy.

Jennifer took me into her room, which was bathed in different shades of gold, I stayed in her room that night, so the doctor and maids could attend to Henry.

The next morning we had one of the maids get some clothes for me so I could get dressed, I walked to my room and visited Henry, whose colour had come back and was sleeping peacefully. I turned to go away, but Henry caught my arm, almost making me scream.  
"Hello" he said, his voice was raspy from his illness.  
I smiled, "Feeling better?" I asked him.  
"I am..."  
"That's good" I said, looking around the room. "Do you remember anything?" I asked him.  
He nodded,  
"And...?"  
"My shirt miraculously got taken off" he said, a smirk rising to his face, I nodded, "So you weren't unconscious" I said, walking to the end of the bed to retrieve the frayed shirt.  
"Well you certainly needed a new one" I told him, holding it up.  
"Yes after it was taken off" he said, sitting up.  
"Do you want a new shirt?" I asked him, hands on my hips.  
He sighed and ran his hands through his hair, making the muscles in his arms flex, I adverted my eyes towards the window.  
"Rose, I know about the arranged marriage" he said.  
My head whipped towards him, Only Theo had called me Rose.  
"And I know about you and Theo" he said, crossing his arms against his chest.  
I looked down, ashamed. "How?" I asked him  
"I was down the hall when I heard you two talking, and kissing" he said.  
I nodded.  
"I understand, it's ok if you don't love me, I don't feel for you exactly either" he said, his mouth propping up to one side.  
I sighed, a sigh of relief, "So when are we supposed to be talking to my father about this?" I asked him.  
He sighed, crossing his arms behind his head making a pillow. "I would suppose soon" he said, "Once I get better"  
I nodded, my stomach was in knots, I was nervous about marrying Henry and nervous about _after_ the wedding, not _just _the wedding night but also after that, _would Henry want children?, what happens if we live our lives unhappy and childless?_ I wondered.  
"Rose..." Henry asked me, I turned towards Henry, who was now standing near me.  
"I won't and don't expect anything from you, if you know what I mean" he said, as if he had read my mind.  
I lowered my head and raised it again, as if in a nod. "Thank you Henry" I told him, running into his arms.  
He hugged me back, I felt safe in his arms, they wrapped around me as if to protect me, and I fit as if I was meant to be there.  
"Look, if you do somehow come to love me, you have to tell me" he said.  
I nodded, feeling that that day would never come.  
I stepped back, "What if that day never comes Henry?" I asked him.  
"Then...I'll just have to bear it" he said smiling.  
"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked him, wrapping my arms around his waist, and then realising that I was sounding flirtatious.  
"I don't know, I really liked the idea of you tending to me when I was sick, that night I had a dream that you were tending to our child, when she was sick" he told me.  
I felt a pang, and I could tell there was something sincere in his voice.  
I broke away, and walked over to the chair in the corner of the room. "Who says I'd start a family with you Henry Wallace?" I asked him, trying to make my voice playful.  
"Well it may be my intense amount of charm" he said, "Or my hair" he said.  
"I think it would be your sarcasm" I told him.  
"Or" he said walking towards me, "the fact that you're in love with me" he said, scooping me up and throwing me on the bed.  
He sat on the edge and tickled me, until I was blue in the face.  
"Say you give up!" Henry said,  
'Never!" I screamed.  
He shrugged, "Ok then, you'll be tickled forever" he said.  
"Fine I give up!"  
"Nope not good enough" he said, and stopped, "Tell me you love me" he whispered into my ear.  
I looked up at him; his eyes were searching mine I gulped and turned away, feeling my face redden.  
"I can tell you still love Theo, I know you wished I was him in that moment" he told me.  
I looked at him. "I care for him very much"  
Henry nodded, and got up.  
I sat up and sighed, realising that my marriage was going to be a very unhappy one. 


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

It had been two weeks since I had taken the fall off the horse and found out that I was going to be wed to Henry, The Janus- Smackers family were hosting a ball an hour from now and I was waiting patiently in the parlour for the rest of my family to get downstairs. First down was Henry, he was in a black suit that had a fitted red blazer underneath it, and I looked down at my dress, its fabric reminding me of the day at the dressmakers.  
"Hello Rose" Henry spoke the words as if they were a song.  
I stood, curtsying. "Hello"  
"I like the colour of your dress" he said, a grin on his face.  
I smiled and looked back at the stairs; Jennifer came down in her robin blue ball gown dress, with its low neck line. The top layer of her hair was pinned into a bun letting the lower layer of her hair settle into loose curls, accentuating her heart shaped face. Shauna and my father weren't far behind both in black. Theo was last, in a black suit and deep navy blazer. I looked away knowing that my cheeks had gone red.

Henry took my hand and lead me to the carriage,  
"Who else is coming with us?" I asked him.  
"Your step mother told me that it would be better if just you and I go" he told me, hoisting me up into the carriage.  
I nodded seating myself closest to the window, Henry sat opposite me.  
He fiddled with the buttons on his blazer, while looking out the window as we sped towards the destination.  
I held my shawl close to my chest, because my dress had been cut a couple inches too low, showing the top of my breasts, which made it awkward since I was getting married after all. _Sadly to Henry _I thought, right then I had wished that it was Theo sitting in front of me telling me how much he loved me, and how pretty I looked, instead of some guy struggling to do up his blazer.

"Rose" Henry asked trying to get my attention, "You don't have to dance with me tonight" he told me, his voice had a bit of disappointment.  
"I will, the first dance, I'm obliged" I told him.  
"Oh don't feel that way" he said, patting my thigh.  
I shrugged, "Maybe I want to Henry" I said, stealing a glance at him.  
He laughed, "You as well as I know that you wish I was Theo" he said.  
I looked away, "I can't think that once were married, can I?" I asked him.  
Henry sighed, "I can't stop you from thinking about what you're thinking about"  
"Well I'm surprised that you feel that way" I said. "Most men of your stature would do revolting things to their wives" I said.  
He rolled his eyes, "I'm not like most men" he said.  
I nodded and looked out the window until we were at the party.

When we arrived at the Janus- Smackers Residence, Henry got out of the carriage, he placed his hands on my waist and lifted me out, making me drop my shawl into a puddle, and he threw it back into the carriage before walking me to the door. A rush of people greeted us at the door, but Henry wrapped his arm tightly around my waist and led me to the dance floor, there were around thirty or so couples dancing on the dance floor, all of the women were in magnificent gowns that had a ridicules amount of beading.  
Henry left me for a moment and walked towards the bar, I ran towards a far wall and hid beside column, its shadow was large enough to hide me.  
"Rose..." a male voice whispered, I looked over and it was Theo.  
I took his hand, which was held out towards me.  
He led me into the supplies closet just off the dance floor.  
"Theo?" I asked him.  
He placed a finger on my lips and kissed my forehead.  
"Theo, why are you doing this?" I asked him, hearing he band strike up another song, which meant that Henry was looking for me.  
"I needed to see you, without my brother's shadow nearby" he told me, looking at my hair.  
"You do know that I am going to marry him"  
He nodded, and ran a finger along my collarbone.  
"Theo, this is wrong" I told him  
"You love me don't you?" He asked me.  
I nodded; _I can't believe I fell in love so fast, especially right after seeing him _I thought.  
Theo looked at me, his eyes dancing from my eyes to lips, and then back again.  
I looked away, knowing that he wanted to kiss me.  
"Why can't I kiss you?"  
I looked back to him, "Because I am getting married" I told him.  
"I know" he said.  
"Well I'm not ruining my reputation just because you can't control your lust" I said.  
He looked down, "I'm sorry, I just love you..." he told me.  
I nodded, "I have to go find your brother" I told him.  
He nodded, releasing me from his grip.  
I walked out of the closet and saw Henry leaning against a column  
"I'm sorry for missing the first dance" I told him.  
He took a sip of whisky, "Its fine" he said, taking another sip.  
"Well do you want to dance?" I asked him, my voice starting to get knaggy.  
He looked down at me, "Why don't you ask my brother?" he said, his voice sharp, as he walked away I stared after him, his tone surprising me.

It wasn't long before the ball was over; I had stayed in the corner the whole night watching Katy Janus- Smackers dance with every free gentleman except for Henry. Katy had always seemed like a bubbly person, she had a smile on her face always and her hair pinned up so that she looked older, then her fifteen year old self.  
Henry came to my side, his person smelling of alcohol and perfume; I noticed that he was tipsy, and or drunk. As we got into the carriage I saw Theo flirting with Jennifer, I shrugged it off, maybe he didn't realise what he was doing.  
"Rose, were getting married tomorrow aren't we?" Henry asked me.  
I nodded, while getting into the carriage, "Yes Henry...yes we are" I said, before falling asleep.

The next morning I woke up and didn't want to get out of bed, Jennifer was pulling back the blinds and Shauna was putting the wedding dress on a  
mannequin. I sat up, squinting against the sun, which was invading my room.  
"What time is it?" I asked, both women looked at me, smiles on their faces.  
"High time you get up, its eleven o'clock and the wedding is at one, we need to get you bathed, and dressed and your hair needs to be fixed and good lord knows what else!" Shauna said, Jennifer and I started laughing at our 'Mother'. I got up and was bathed by the maids and Shauna, all of them were scrubbing my skin as if there was too much dirt on it. They washed my hair, making it straighten. They slowly but surely slid my dress over top of my corseted body. I sighed, hoping that Henry hadn't changed his mind about the whole wedding night situation, because honestly I was _not_ ready for that.  
"Now...how do you want your hair?" Shauna asked me.  
"Down" I told her,  
"But down, it's just too relaxed" she mentioned.  
"Do whatever you like Shauna" I told her smiling to her reflection in the mirror.

Shauna smiled and put my hair in a bun, I was dead set on taking that out before the wedding, no matter what.  
Jennifer came walking in; she was wearing a red dress, and held white roses in her left hand and a pair of red in the other.  
"Henry thought the red would go better with your dress" she told me.  
I nodded taking the roses from her, "Thank you" I told her. "You look astonishing" I told her.  
"Well, you look immaculate" she told me.  
I nodded, Jennifer's dress suit her curvy figure perfectly. And the red in her cheeks looked beautiful with the dress.  
I smelt the roses, they didn't smell like hothouse flowers they were fresh and wild, I breathed in their sent loving every sent.  
"Oh! And Henry wanted me to give you this note" Jennifer told me, handing me a folded parchment; I got up and sat walked over to the window unfolding it.

_Rose,_

Today we wed, I hope you're not as nervous as I am, although I can guess you are. Tonight I don't expect anything from you, I thought I would clear that up in case you were wondering. And I can understand if you aren't exactly happy today, since I'm not Theo.

Sincerely you're Henry.

I looked out the window and watched my father, Theo and Henry go their pictures taken in the front yard near the pond, I looked at Theo, wishing that he was the one I was marrying.  
"Time for pictures, and then we have to scurry off to the church!" Shauna said, picking up my train while Jennifer led me to dock on the pond.

We arrived at the church and I stood there waiting for the doors to my domination to open. My best friend Jennifer stood behind me, fiddling with my veil. I reached behind my head and pulled out the pin that held up my long curly brown hair.

Jennifer touched my arms soothingly, knowing that I was about to marry

Man that I did not love. On the other side of the doors, the band started

Strumming Cannon in D, the doors opened. Instead of my eyes moving

Towards the groom, as they should have, they moved towards the man that stood beside him. Theodore Wallace, a tall muscular man, with sandy blond hair and a sour expression, Theo was the one I was in love with, the one that wanted to marry. Henry the man, who stood in the grooms spot, was standing there with no expression on his face what so ever, his chocolate eyes wandered around the room. I looked over at Theo again, his blue eyes were gleaming, and I could tell he wished he was the one who was marring me.

I tightened my grip on the red roses that were getting smothered in my hands, while I watched Henry shift his weight from one foot to the other, there were a few loud sobs coming from the guests as I walked down the aisle. Tears accumulated in my eyes, they were tears of sorrow, I closed my eyes as my soon to be husband took my hand in his. Henry's grip surprised me as I stepped into place.  
"We are gathered here today to witness the matrimony between Henry Fredric Wallace and Rosalie Katharine Whitmore"

The pastor asked Henry if he said I do and Henry did, but my heart skipped a beat and I didn't know what to do, so all I did was nod.  
"You may now kiss the Bride" the pastor said.  
Henry looked at me, and I nodded, He peeled my veil back and kissed my lips softly, as if I would break.  
A round of cheers and claps came from the room as He and I pulled away.  
As we ran out of the church and into the carriage small bits and pieces of rice were pelted at us. Henry hoisted me up into the topless carriage, and he sat beside me.  
I kissed, by father, step mother and step sister goodbye, before the carriage sped off.  
"Where are we going?" I asked Henry.  
"Were going back to my aunt's house, but were spending the night in the east wing, it's not in use, so she gave us the biggest room" he told me, coddling me close to him.  
I let him, hold me since it was our wedding day.  
"Did you get my note?" he asked me.  
I nodded, "Again thank you for your hospitality, it is and was very kind of you to consider my feelings" I told him.  
He nodded, "Your welcome, and again I don't expect anything, but I do think that your guardians do" he told me.  
I nodded, agreeing, "What do I tell Jennifer is she asks me?" I asked him.  
"Make up something" he said.  
I nodded, and closed my eyes thinking of Theo, the way his hair looked, the way he smelled, the way he treated me, I felt happy when I was around him.

The carriage slowed and I opened my eyes, and looked at the front entrance to the east wing, the flowers surrounding it looking beautiful, a vine ran along the whole front of this side.  
My jaw dropped, "This side of the house is amazing" I said, letting Henry help me out of the carriage,  
"Yes indeed it is" he muttered while leading me to the door.  
Inside, the cook met us in the grand entryway. "Welcome home Mr. And Mrs. Henry Wallace" she said, smiling.  
I smiled back at her, happy on the outside but a tad bit depressed.  
The cook showed us to our room, opening the door to reveal a large gold room, with a mahogany sleigh bed, that was right under the window, there was a couch that sat in front of the fire place, which was blazing, it's warmth radiating the room, the lights were dim, most likely for ambiance, I took a step in.  
"Wait" Henry said, grabbing my arm and swooping me up into his arms, "I get to carry you across the threshold don't I?" he asked me.  
I nodded.  
"Did you know this is where my parent's spent their wedding night?" he told me, letting me down.  
I shook my head, and ran my hand along the fireplaces mantel.  
"Well I don't know about you, but I'm going to make myself more comfortable" he said, taking of his blazer, and undoing the suspenders from his arms, letting the suspenders drop.  
I looked down at my dress, looking at its plain white fabric and realizing that I needed help taking it off, I laughed quietly.  
"What's so funny?" Henry asked me.  
I blushed, "This dress...I can't take it off by myself" I told him, "The way it's made, I can't undo the strings at the back" I said trying at the strings.  
He walked over to me, and undid the strings quickly, as if he was rushing.  
I walked over to the armoire looking for a nightgown, which was nowhere to be seen.  
I sighed,  
"What?" Henry asked.  
"There's no night shirt in here" I told him, "Only dust" I said, swiping my finger along the bottom of the drawer to show him.  
He came over and looked in all of the drawers.  
"Hmm..." he walked over to the bathroom, "There isn't anything in here either" he said.  
"Well I need something Henry" I told him, raising my voice, so he could hear me.  
"Well..." He said, walking over to me again, "Here" He took off his shirt.  
I held it up to my body, it covered only to my knee, I sighed shuffling past him towards the washroom and got into it. I came out and grabbed a small blanket off of the bed, and wrapped it around me. Henry was standing at the fireplace, his right arm against the mantel; the other held a glass of what looked like whisky.  
He turned towards me, "You look...cold" he said, a smile spreading across his face.  
I shook my head, "It was a beautiful wedding" I said, walking up to him.  
He nodded, "You looked beautiful in your dress" he told me, something foreign flashing through his eyes.  
I looked into the red flames, which warmed me.  
"Look, I know that you love me Henry" I paused, "Or at least have started to grow fond of me" I said.  
He looked at me, "And I can tell that you growing fonder of me" he said, taking another sip of whisky.  
I shrugged, "I have to in a way" I told him, placing my hand on his arm.  
Henry shrugged my hand off, "you could have just said, No to the arrangement".  
"I...No...I wouldn't be able to do that to my father" I told him.  
"The one thing that is a virtue and a flaw with you Rose, is your loyalty" he said.  
"Well it's something I admire" I told him, raising my voice. He turned to me a looked as if he had reached his boiling point, but I knew better, he was just frustrated.  
I stood on my tip-toes and hugged him, letting him use my shoulder for a pillow. He ran his hand through my hair, and smelling it. I could hear him smelling it, and he hugged me tighter, "Henry?" I asked him.  
I got no reply, "Henry, you're hurting my back" I told him.  
He loosened up, and pulled away. He walked towards the window; I could tell he was crying.  
"Are you ok?"  
He turned back and shook his head.  
"What...what's wrong" I asked him.  
"Nothing" he told me,  
I nodded, rubbing his arm, feeling its muscle underneath my hands.  
"Do you love me yet?" Henry asked me.  
"I'm getting there" I told him, walking away.  
"What!"  
I smiled, "You heard me" I told him.  
Henry ran in front of me and planted a kiss on my lips then my cheek, and down to my collarbone.  
"Henry" I whispered, trying to keep my voice and thoughts straight.  
He looked up at me and stood back.  
"I'm tired and I think I should go to sleep" I told him.  
He nodded and walked over to the couch and sat down.  
I fell asleep right away, dreaming about the day all over again.

The next morning I woke up to the sound, of repeated knock, coming from the bedroom, door. I got up and wrapped myself in a blanket, while pulling up my shirt from my shoulders to my neck. I opened the heavy oak door, Jennifer we standing on the other side, holding a note.  
"Hello Jennifer" I said smiling.  
"Hello Rosalie, how was your night?" she asked, a laugh escaping her lips.  
I thought for a minute, starting to panic, "Alright..." I replied.  
"Just alright?" she asked, I knew she thought I was lying.  
I sighed and looked at her, "it was...well...great" I told her, hoping for once in my life I was blushing.  
Jennifer laughed. "Well...i better leave you" she said, walking away.

I closed the door, and sighed, I could hear Henry get up off of the couch. I walked more into the room so that I could see him, he was stretching , making his muscles flex, I couldn't help but blush more then I already was.  
"Good morning" I said, relaxing against the wall,  
Henry looked at me and smiled, I could see his eyes sparkling. "Good morning, how did you sleep?" he asked me, going to light another fire.  
"Well, how about you?" I replied, and walked over to the couch, placing the note on the side table.  
Henry looked back at me, smiling. "All I can say is that I am not sleeping on that couch again" he told me smiling.  
I nodded, watching him. I liked the way his hair was when he woke up, and the way he acted, he was more decent to me now that we were married and that he cared about me. I was growing fond of him indeed...maybe I wasn't just fond of him...

I walked over to him and put my hand on his shoulder, He looked up at me from the fire, he was crouching now to put the wood in it.  
"Rose..." he said, rising.  
I looked at him and shook my head, leaning my head in closer to his.  
"What are you doing?" he asked me, his voice just a whisper. I kissed him, ignoring his question, Henry kissed me back with just as much passion as I was kissing him with. He picked me up and placed me on the bed, "I think you are finally in love with me Rose" he said before finally kissing me. 


End file.
